Drive chain



/ N YE N 70 RS G. w. WILMOT ET 1.

DRIVE CHAIN Filed Dec. 11, 1923 May 24, 1927.

w/ T/VESS qrramve rs jointing of the links when desired Patented May 24, "1927.

v u NI'TE'DY smTEsv P T NT- OFFICE.

GEORGE W. WILMOT AND FRANCIS H; BLATCH, 0F HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA; AS-

SIGNORS TO \VILMOT ENGINEE'RING'COMPANY, OF HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA, A

" CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA,

' DRIVE CHAIN;

Application filed December Our invention relates to drive-chams and it has for'its general object to provide novel means for preventing accidental separation or disconnection of the linksof the chain when the sameis inuseand for facilitating the connecting and thedisconnecting 'or dis- A further object ot-the .invention lis to provide a chain of novel constructionsuch that a minimum. amountof shortening or. collapsing .is necessary 1 in order to reflect eonnection or disconnection of adjacent links; Q

'To these and other ends. the invention eomprehends the construction as hereinafter set forth in detail; partieularly pointed Ont in the claims and as illustrated in the ac companyingv drawing in which we have illustratedlcertain convenientiorms of embodiment thereof. However, it will be under? stood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than those shown and that changes may be made ingthe details of constructionxwithin the scope of the claims without disjointing from the said invention. In the drawing V j I I Figrl is a view partially in top plan and partially in horizontal section of a portion of drive-chains embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section of a portion of chain, one of the links thereof being arranged transverse relation to the overlapping ends. of

tion of the upper portion of the chain struc- 'ture shown in Fig. 3 showing the upper horizontally arranged linkin lowered position;and s Fig. dis a view in central longitudinal vertical section of a portion of chainshowing a slightly modified construction, certain of the chain links being in position to permit relative adjustment'thereof forthe purpose of connecting or. disconnecting fsaid links j Referring to the drawing: 1 and.2 designate the links of a chain alternately arranged with respect to each other.v The former linksin the construction shown con- Sist of solid m'emberswhile the latter consist 11, 1923 Serial at. 679,596.

adaptedto engage trunn-ions or pintles '5 V uponthe opposite sides and adjacent the opposite ends of the links 1.; These trunnions' oifipintles- 5 are'ea chjprovidedwith elongated heads 6 whichextend transversely of 1 the links 1 to whichthey are 'con'nected and likewise: transversely of the length of the .ehain when the latter "is in extended position' 'at which time theylikewisefextend transversely of the said slots. 4 i

For the purpose ot engaging or disengag- 7 ,ing the slots .5 with the trunnions 5,' 1t is necessary that the adjacent links-1 and 2' be arrangedY-insuch relative position that theelongated heads 6 are in parallel v.rela- 'tion to the said slots. When in this position the. heads 6 together with the trunnions 5 may be inserted through the said slots after which thelinksmay be turned fromthe poe sitionshown in Figs. 3 and 4 to .tha-t'shown in Figsr1 1511 1612. s For the purpose of preventing collapsing ofltheflinks when the chain is in use. and in orderv to reducev toa minimum the possibility of aecidentalseparation of the links, we have provided inwardly extending ribs 10 upon the inner sides of the' bars a and Z) of the alternate linksQQ. ,The opposite ends ends of the slots 3 as is; clearly shown, 7 j H Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawing, 15 designates notches arranged incouples adjacent the oppositeends of the links 1 one couple beingupon the top and the other upon'the bottomside thereof. The purpose of these notches is .to permit the links 1, connected to the opposite ends of the bars a and I) of any link 2, to be moved toward each other so asto cause the notches '15 adjacent the ends of the said links'l. to engage the'opposite ends of the inwardly extending" ribs 10 upon the side bars a and b of 1 an intermediate li11k2.

of these ribs terminate adjacent the 'inner When thus adjusted, asis shown in..Fig.-4,

the heads 6 arecin alignment with the slots 13 so that the saidside bars a and b may be;

removed by sliding the same outwardly over the said heads 6.

The length of the heads (3' and the relation of the opposite ends thereof to the edges ot the sides of the links 1 are such that but for the presence of the notches 15 the said links 1 could not be moved toward each other, when the side bars a and L of a link are arranged in transverse relation to two links 1, as shown in Fig. 3, a sufficient dis-i tance to bring the said heads into alignment with the slots 3. i I

In the construction, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, in 1 which the notches are provided alternately uponthetops and the bottoms of the links 1 adjacent tliQOPPOSltG ends thereot in the opposite side edges thereof, it is only necessary, in order to disconnect orto'connect links from or to each other, to shorten the said chain by'the amount of the length o't'a single link. lt is apparent that a construction which of a'character to permit the disconnection of the links merely by theshortening ot' the chain tothe extent ot a single link or pitch length is "an advantage of practical importance. t r

In the construction, as shown in Figf 5 of the drawing, the notches 15* in the links 1 at the opposite ends of said links are located on the'sanie side of the chain, that is, both couples of notches are located either on the top or on the bottom side ofthe links 1. hen the notches l5 are thus arranged, it becomes necessary, in order to removethe side bars a andb'ot a link, to arrange two links 1 connected with the opposite ends of the side bits of a link 2 in transverse rela tion such bars which links extend in the same direction from the said'bars. lVhenin such position it is apparent thatthe lower endsof the links 1 which are depending, as shown in Fig. 5, may beinoved toward each other so as to carry the notches 15 into engagement with the ribs 10 upon the inner side bars (a and Z) of alink 2f Vfhen in such position the heads 6 are'in parallel relation to and are in alignment with the openings "3 in the said side bars a ,and Z) so that the latter may be readily removed by sliding the same outwardly over the said heads 6.

By a reverse movement the side bars a-and b may be placed in engagement with the trunnions or pintlesii after which the links may be extended and straightened out into alignn'ient with each other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

Although the latter construction, as shown in Fig. 5, has some advantages over previously known chain constructions of the character and type to which this construction belongs, we prefer the form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 1 because in'the latter it is only necessary to shorten the chain by a single link or pitch length in order to connect ordisconnect chain links from each I 4 n l other, while in the former it is necessary to shorten the chain to the extent of two llnks chain links maybe readily connected with or disconnected from each other, and having been once connected are not liable to become accidentally disconnected or separated from each other." I h Y 7 Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire Patent is:: i r

1. In a drive-chain, the combination of linksrespectively comprising side bars each of which bars is provided" with inwardly extending ribs z'indeach oi whichis' alsopror vided with slots adjac-ent its opposite -ends, the inner'e'nds; of whichterminite adjacent theopposite ends of the said ribs, alternate links having" notches in their sides'and adj a? cent their ien'dsfwith which" the opposite ends of the said ribs are-adapted 'to engage when the said sidebars of 'anyslink are ar ranged in" transverse relation to adjacent alternate links when the; latter are inoved inwardly toward'each other, and pintles for pivotally conne'cting the said links together.

2.111 a drive-chain, the conibination'of links respectively consisting otoppositely disposed'side bars each of which "bars is provided'with a rib centrally situatedupon its inner side and with slots adjacent its opposite ends, the inner ends of. which terminate adjacent the opposite endsof said ribs, and links alternating with the first named links, the second named links being provided with one or more notches'adja'cent one end thereof upon one sideand with 'one oi" more notches adjacent its opposite end upon its other side, which notches'are adapted to be engaged by the said ribs when the said side bars'of the'fir-st named links are arranged substantially at right angles to 7 adjacent alternate. links when the latter inwardly of the said bars. i V

'3. In a drive-chain, the combination of links which respectively consist of oppositely disposed spaced bars having stop projections upon their inner sides and also which are moved have slots adjacent their opposite ends which i 1 slots extend longitudinally thereof, links which alternate with the-first named links, the said SGCOIldllttlHGCl links each being provided with head portions which" are situated intermediate the side bars of the 'alternating first named links,'thesaidse'cond named llnks being prov ded respectively wlth notches ad acent their opposite ends,

the said-notches occurring alternately ;upon

the tops andbottoms of the said 'linkskf 4. In a drive-chain, the combination of links which respectively consists of side bars Spaced from each other, which bars are provided with stop projections upon their inner sides and also with slots adjacent their opposite ends, links which alternate with the first named links, the said second named links being provided respectively with notches ad-V jacent their opposite ends, the said notches belng arranged in couples and alternately upon the tops and bottoms of said links, and pintles pivotally connecting the said links together, the outer ends of saidpintles being provided with heads which are adapted to be inserted and withdrawn through said slots substantially as described.

5. In a drive-chain, the. combination of l nks respectively consisting of side barsarranged in spaced relation to each other which side bars are provided with stop pro- 7 jections on their inner sides and slots adja- ,cent their opposite ends, the inner ends of which terminate adjacent said stop projections, links which alternate with the first named links a'ndthe endsof whichare overlapped by the ends of the first named links, the said second named links having notches adjacent theiropposite ends which notches are arranged alternately upon the tops and Y GEORGE W. WILMOT. FRANCIS H. BLATCH. 

